The Seven Big Questions

[KingOfDoma]

OK, for college, I was instructed to read a book called "The Discipleship of the Mind", by a guy named James W. Sire. In it, he says there are 7 questions which defines everyone's world view, and I think it's important for everyone to define what their own world view is. So, I'm going to post those seven questions and ask you to answer them for yourself. Also, when you've written them down and posted them, look at them again and see if there's anything in there that doesn't fit or follow logic. It may happen to you more than you think...

But anyways, without further ado, here are the seven questions...

1. What is prime reality - the really real? (ie. God, the gods, the cosmos)

2. What is the nature of external reality, that is, the world around us? (ie. chaotic, orderly, material, immaterial?)

3. What is a human being? (ie. a naked ape, a highly complex machine, a sleeping god, a person made in the image of God, etc.)

4. What happens to a person at death? (ie. oblivion, heaven, a shadowy existence on the "other side"?)

5. How is it possible to know anything at all? (ie. because we're made in the image of an all-knowing God, because we've evolved the ability to reason, etc.)

6. How do we know what is right and wrong? (ie. we don't, the God that made us is inherently good, we choose what's right and wrong?)

7. What is the purpose of human history? (ie. to realize God or the gods' purpose, to create paradise on earth, to prepare people for Heaven, etc.)


Have fun. <p>--------------------
"Spock, the women on your planet are logical. It's the only planet that can make that claim." -Captain Kirk, "Elaan of Troyius"</p>

[PopoSujo]

1. What is prime reality - the really real? (ie. God, the gods, the cosmos)
Though I am no longer a religious person, I believe that there is in fact some greater something somewhere out there. Whether it's God as the different holy books depict him or some highly evolved alien race, I haven't made my mind up on yet, but there is definitely something there.

2. What is the nature of external reality, that is, the world around us? (ie. chaotic, orderly, material, immaterial?)
The world, at it's most basic level, is chaos. Man strives for his own gain rather than helping out others. Sure there are "good" people out there, but how many of you, when you're driving down the road and you see a wreck, actually stop, get out of your car, and check on them? Man at his most basic level is self-centered and greedy. See the speech by Agent Smith at the end of The Matrix for more information.

3. What is a human being? (ie. a naked ape, a highly complex machine, a sleeping god, a person made in the image of God, etc.)
Human beings are highly complex machines. We are far more complicated organisms than anything else found so far on our or any other planet. We have the power of language and reason on our side, and that in itself makes us complex.

4. What happens to a person at death? (ie. oblivion, heaven, a shadowy existence on the "other side"?)
Yet another topic I haven't quite made my mind up on. I used to be a very religious person and knew I was going to heaven, but now I am not so sure. I believe that something probably happens to us when we die, I don't think we just cease to exist, but I doubt that it is simply split into Heaven and Hell.

5. How is it possible to know anything at all? (ie. because we're made in the image of an all-knowing God, because we've evolved the ability to reason, etc.)
Once more, the ability to reason is the most important thing humanity has. Without reason we would have been extinct a long time ago; we're soft, chewy, we don't have horns or claws, we can't swim very well, we can't run very fast... Without the power to think, "Hey, I bet it would hurt if I stabbed that thing with huge teeth with this sharp rock!" then we would probably all be taken down by mere squirrels.

6. How do we know what is right and wrong? (ie. we don't, the God that made us is inherently good, we choose what's right and wrong?)
Right and wrong breaks down as you get more specific; I break it down into country, culture, community, family, individual, though you can probably get more specific than that. I think that we ourselves determine the rightness of a thing, very dependant upon culture.

7. What is the purpose of human history? (ie. to realize God or the gods' purpose, to create paradise on earth, to prepare people for Heaven, etc.)
To help us remember. The idea in my brain makes sense, but I have been trying to put it into words unsuccessfully for fifteen minutes, so just go by the first sentence.

[PriamNevhausten]

1. What is prime reality - the really real? (ie. God, the gods, the cosmos)
There is no God, in the sense that an entity rules over and bends the cosmos towards a willful goal. Certain nonhuman entities, though, do hold influence, though their goals are difficult to discern, and may not involve any sort of grand 'plan.'

2. What is the nature of external reality, that is, the world around us? (ie. chaotic, orderly, material, immaterial?)
I fail to understand the question properly, I believe. The world is the world. Some factors are chaotic, other factors are purposeful. Independent forces and principles and players cause different things to happen, and the added dimension of unknowability throws some flavor into the mix.

3. What is a human being? (ie. a naked ape, a highly complex machine, a sleeping god, a person made in the image of God, etc.)
A human being is a human being. Having had my categorization of such questioned so frequently, there can be no other answer, for the lines are not well-defined.

4. What happens to a person at death? (ie. oblivion, heaven, a shadowy existence on the "other side"?)
This has not been a subject I presume to dwell on for very long at all, because it is irrelevant to me. One cannot plan for heaven without betraying its intent, and for most other theories/beliefs it doesn't matter what you plan because it's a big 'reset' button anyway.

5. How is it possible to know anything at all? (ie. because we're made in the image of an all-knowing God, because we've evolved the ability to reason, etc.)
We don't. 'Knowledge' is an element of trust, which is an intensity of belief. I suppose then, the question morphs to 'how is it possible to believe anything at all?' My answer to that is the natural tendency towards learning and adapting that all organisms have to some extent, as a survival mechanism if nothing else. We observe, we learn, we categorize, we generalize, we believe.

6. How do we know what is right and wrong? (ie. we don't, the God that made us is inherently good, we choose what's right and wrong?)
Right and wrong are highly arbitrary, and can never be anything objective. Something can be "right" to me, but that does not mean it is the same for everyone else. Notably, though, its uncertain status within others does not make it any less "right" as far as I am concerned.

7. What is the purpose of human history? (ie. to realize God or the gods' purpose, to create paradise on earth, to prepare people for Heaven, etc.)
There is none. Humans came about by a cause, but not for a reason. Things happened that led up to humans' genesis, but that does not mean that we have a reason to be here besides the fact that we did, in fact, evolve here and have the facilities and methods to stick around. Entertaining the religious for a moment, let us presume there is some sort of purpose to the entirety of human existence: why, then, do we presume to have even the capacity to grasp the infinite complexity of God's Big Plan? Stop asking Him, you won't get an answer. Get back to fulfilling your part in the plan instead, and stop bothering the rest of us with your philosophical masturbation. <p><span style="font-size:xx-small;">"It's in the air, in the headlines in the newspapers, in the blurry images on television. It is a secret you have yet to grasp, although the first syllable has been spoken in a dream you cannot quite recall." --Unknown Armies</span></p>Edited by: [url=http://pub30.ezboard.com/brpgww60462.showUserPublicProfile?gid=priamnevhausten>PriamNevhausten</A] at: 10/17/03 4:35 pm

[Just Damn Evil]

1. What is prime reality - the really real? (ie. God, the gods, the cosmos)
Believing that realities exist on numerous levels has been one of human-kind's biggest irrationalities. The creation of realities that humankind is unable to experience came about because of people's need to think their spirituality is rational - thus, a second layer of perception, a "spiritual" level of existence, came to be. God is proven not to be tangible, so people invented a world where intangible things live.

2. What is the nature of external reality, that is, the world around us? (ie. chaotic, orderly, material, immaterial?)
This is too simplistic a question. Things happen to different degrees, and the fact that people come up with so many simplified interpretations of the universe is proof of existence's variation.

3. What is a human being? (ie. a naked ape, a highly complex machine, a sleeping god, a person made in the image of God, etc.)
A human being is an amazing organization of smaller entities - different beings working together to form a much larger entity. Together they have evolved to an extent where they have created "the soul", that mixture of water and carbohydrates that can store information electrochemically to such an extent that "the body" can create, drive, and destroy.

4. What happens to a person at death? (ie. oblivion, heaven, a shadowy existence on the "other side"?)
We die, our story ends, our legacies live on.

5. How is it possible to know anything at all? (ie. because we're made in the image of an all-knowing God, because we've evolved the ability to reason, etc.)
Because our brains have the ability to store information well enough to allow us to perform complex reasoning.

6. How do we know what is right and wrong? (ie. we don't, the God that made us is inherently good, we choose what's right and wrong?)
"Right" and "wrong" are illusions created by institutions in order to control and individuals for their own self-assurance. How ironic that those marked as "wrong" in the day are years later the target of sympathy, and that those who work in the name of what's "right" so often breech humanitarian ethics.

7. What is the purpose of human history? (ie. to realize God or the gods' purpose, to create paradise on earth, to prepare people for Heaven, etc.)
Purpose is but an illusion - the one constant in the universe is only that things happen because they're caused to happen, not because some entity is driving the universe to some unseen destination.

Humankind creates its own purposes.

[Banjooie]

1. What is prime reality - the really real? (ie. God, the gods, the cosmos)

Three.

2. What is the nature of external reality, that is, the world around us? (ie. chaotic, orderly, material, immaterial?)

Three.

3. What is a human being? (ie. a naked ape, a highly complex machine, a sleeping god, a person made in the image of God, etc.)

Three.

4. What happens to a person at death? (ie. oblivion, heaven, a shadowy existence on the "other side"?)

Three.

5. How is it possible to know anything at all? (ie. because we're made in the image of an all-knowing God, because we've evolved the ability to reason, etc.)

Three.

6. How do we know what is right and wrong? (ie. we don't, the God that made us is inherently good, we choose what's right and wrong?)

Three.

7. What is the purpose of human history? (ie. to realize God or the gods' purpose, to create paradise on earth, to prepare people for Heaven, etc.)

Three.


This may seem like a spam thingy, but it's more supposed to be some vague reference to zen.

[JoshuaDurron]

::fails to take the time to answer these questions, but points out that he believes Sire also has a book out called 'The Universe Next Door', in which he examines several major world views. will check to confirm this.:: <p>

---

"Strenghten your lyre and sing
The hymn of death
The sky opens to us
They fly to the ray"

-Cante per me, Kajiura Yuki</p>

[KingOfDoma]

Don't bother. He did. <p>--------------------
"Spock, the women on your planet are logical. It's the only planet that can make that claim." -Captain Kirk, "Elaan of Troyius"</p>

[Ajil6]

o.o That's deep. Neato. When it isn't 4:38 AM PST, I'll answer them. :D

o.o I have lots of things to say, but am too tired to say them. <p>[--------------------------------------------]
FETUS. I am a FETUS.</p>

[Choark]

1. What is prime reality - the really real? (ie. God, the gods, the cosmos)

Press Start to Begin, Press1P/2P, Insert Coin(s)

2. What is the nature of external reality, that is, the world around us? (ie. chaotic, orderly, material, immaterial?)

3 Lives Left, Powerbar, __________KO__________

3. What is a human being? (ie. a naked ape, a highly complex machine, a sleeping god, a person made in the image of God, etc.)

30X30, 58X58, 400X500

4. What happens to a person at death? (ie. oblivion, heaven, a shadowy existence on the "other side"?)

Game Over, Press start to continue, "I know you'll be back"

5. How is it possible to know anything at all? (ie. because we're made in the image of an all-knowing God, because we've evolved the ability to reason, etc.)

Internal Ram, Memory card found in Slot A, 200gigs

6. How do we know what is right and wrong? (ie. we don't, the God that made us is inherently good, we choose what's right and wrong?)

Big Key to open the Big Door and the Big Chest, Red Key opens Red Doors, "You Win!"

7. What is the purpose of human history? (ie. to realize God or the gods' purpose, to create paradise on earth, to prepare people for Heaven, etc.)

Insert Your Capitals _ _ _ e/d, Do you wish to load save point?, "Over 250hour's of Gameplay"

[Wolfbelly]

1. What is prime reality - the really real?
Not sure I understand this question. What is real? Well ... that's hard to say. If you're to go with Descarte's view, the only thing which we can be sure that is absolutely real, and therefore the most real since there can be no doubt about the reality of that thing, is our mind. Our self-consciousness. Outside of that you can always ask the questions like "Is this really an apple I am eating?" or "Is that actually the bank I am seeing, or is it merely a mirage?" Hmm, yeah. I'd have to say that's the prime reality, or the most real of real things out there.

2. What is the nature of external reality, that is, the world around us?
The nature ... good question. I would have to say the nature of all reality is growth. From our limited experiences with the universe, there seems (to me at least) to be a natural universal predisposition to growth and advancement. Some may point out the law of entropy, which pretty much says that all organized structures will erode over time. And yes, this is true. But without erosion, how can new things then be created? If you look at nature, it will be rare, if not impossible, to find a natural regression of something. Everything advances. Everthing evolves. Everything grows.

3. What is a human being?
Damn! I knew one of one of these questions would elicit an illogical response. Well, my belief is that humans are the intellectual equals to God, sans Omni-shiznit. Saying that we were made in the image of God is half true. It's more like God (really a consciousness in whose imagination we are all living) could not develop or evolve any farther if he were to remain a single entity. So in order to understand individuality he 'thought up' individually conscious beings, who are really just extensions of himself, so as to experience something new. Therefore, human beings are extensions of God.

4. What happens to a person at death?
We sure don't die, I'll tell you that. Going with my previous statement, I'd have to say that we get reabsorbed into God. However, since I know that the previous statement is kind of a pipedream of sorts, I officially go with the following explanation. Since we're self aware, we cannot experience death (since death would be an awareness of a lack of self awareness). Since we cannot experience death, then we cannot die. The closer we get to the point of death, the more time slows down; like some guy falling into a black hole.

5. How is it possible to know anything at all?
Eugh ... what is knowledge? I haven't given this much thought. Ummm ... knowledge is the archived data collected by our perceptions. Therefore, what we know is derived from what we experience. What we experience determines what path we will take in life. What path we take in life determines what we will experience.

6. How do we know what is right and wrong?
'Right' and 'Wrong' are merely sociocultural values placed on events which positively or negatively affect individuals or a mass of people. What is right for the wolf is wrong for the rabbit who has just become its supper. There is no right and wrong within the universe. This could turn into a very, very huge treatise on the problem of evil, but I'll refrain from that. In regards to humans knowing right and wrong, right and wrong is what determines our survival.

7. What is the purpose of human history?
What the hell kinda retarded question is this? Human history is the basis upon which we now live. How can you apply the purpose of past events to current or future events?

Edit:Does anyone else get the feeling that the author's personal bias really shows through in the phrasing and intent of some of these questions?

And, on King of Doma's request, here's my critique on the logicness of my posts.
1. Seems logically sound. The premises support the conclusion.
2. Is not logically sound. This is actually a very poor argument since the conclusion (Nature of reality = growth) is very lightly connected to the premises (which are personal observations and hopes more than actual, logical premises).
3. Technically, this is a logical argument, since the conclusion follows from the premises. However, the premises are more than likely false ... which just means that it's a good argument for a false point. *shrugs*
4. The official statement is my philisophical pride and joy. It's all good, yo.
5. My response doesn't answer the question ... but then again, I think it's a dumb question. That and I'm not too well versed on the nature of knowledge.
6. Looks logical to me.
7. the answer looks more logical than the question. Whee.

Edited by: [url=http://pub30.ezboard.com/brpgww60462.showUserPublicProfile?gid=wolfbelly>Wolfbelly</A] at: 10/18/03 3:44 pm

[KingOfDoma]

*applauds WB for honesty* <p>--------------------
"Spock, the women on your planet are logical. It's the only planet that can make that claim." -Captain Kirk, "Elaan of Troyius"</p>

[PriamNevhausten]

It doesn't necessarily appear to me that the author's own opinions factor in as much as the author's setting. I presume that said author lived some time ago, when Christianity was more the norm than it is now (being wiccan is in vogue and all that), and thus, most questions would naturally be Christianocentric, as it is what most people knew and had experience with.

Also note that the writing may have been influenced significantly by the author's presumptions on how his work might be regarded upon publication, and as such, some amount of pandering might have been in order. <p><span style="font-size:xx-small;">"It's in the air, in the headlines in the newspapers, in the blurry images on television. It is a secret you have yet to grasp, although the first syllable has been spoken in a dream you cannot quite recall." --Unknown Armies</span></p>

[JoshuaDurron]

Actually, the publication is fairly recent, as James Sire is still living. But Sire is a Christian, a point which he notes when he begins all his books, and he does say, flat-out, that his worldview will taint all his writing before he begins. I respect him for that, as it's a lot more than you get from other authors or organizations, such as the Media. <p>

---

"Strenghten your lyre and sing
The hymn of death
The sky opens to us
They fly to the ray"

-Cante per me, Kajiura Yuki</p>

[PriamNevhausten]

The Media is an organization in the same sense that Ohio is a team.

And that is pretty cool of Sire to be thorough like that, though I wonder exactly what his culture is. <p><span style="font-size:xx-small;">"It's in the air, in the headlines in the newspapers, in the blurry images on television. It is a secret you have yet to grasp, although the first syllable has been spoken in a dream you cannot quite recall." --Unknown Armies</span></p>

[BrainWalker]

I have a huge problem taking this seriously. The questions are so... nebulous. It's like listneing to a cynical philosophy major who's high. <p><div style="text-align:center"></div></p>Edited by: [url=http://pub30.ezboard.com/brpgww60462.showUserPublicProfile?gid=brainwalker>BrainWalker</A]&nbsp; at: 10/19/03 10:49 pm

[PriamNevhausten]

No harm in introspection, though, is there? <p><span style="font-size:xx-small;">"It's in the air, in the headlines in the newspapers, in the blurry images on television. It is a secret you have yet to grasp, although the first syllable has been spoken in a dream you cannot quite recall." --Unknown Armies</span></p>

[PopoSujo]

Potentially.

And Priam, may I use your quote about the Media? I really, really liked it.

[PriamNevhausten]

By all means. <p><span style="font-size:xx-small;">"It's in the air, in the headlines in the newspapers, in the blurry images on television. It is a secret you have yet to grasp, although the first syllable has been spoken in a dream you cannot quite recall." --Unknown Armies</span></p>

[BrainWalker]

Quote:

---

No harm in introspection, though, is there?

---

No, of course not. In fact, it's good for you. As long as you don't overdo it of course, like most things.

It's the speficic questions themselves, not the concept of "thinking about the big stuff", or however you want to phrase it, that gets to me. <p><div style="text-align:center"></div></p>